Filter cleaning

Abstract

A filter device for a vacuum cleaner having a turbine device for generating at least one first and one second main air flow through at least a portion of the vacuum cleaner having and a control unit. The filter device has a first chamber including a first filter element, a first outflow opening, a first inlet opening and a first pressure surge element dividing the first chamber into a first chamber first space and a first chamber second space and reversibly movable between a first pressure surge element first position and a first pressure surge element second position, and a second chamber including a second filter element, a second outflow opening, a second inlet opening and a second pressure surge element dividing the second chamber into a second chamber first space and a second chamber second space reversibly movable between a second pressure surge element first position and a second pressure surge element second position.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A filter device for a vacuum cleaner having a turbine device for generating at least one first and one second main air flow through at least a portion of the vacuum cleaner having and a control unit, the filter device comprising:
 a first chamber including a first filter element, a first outflow opening, a first inlet opening and a first pressure surge element dividing the first chamber into a first chamber first space and a first chamber second space and reversibly movable between a first pressure surge element first position and a first pressure surge element second position; 
 a second chamber including a second filter element, a second outflow opening, a second inlet opening and a second pressure surge element dividing the second chamber into a second chamber first space and a second chamber second space reversibly movable between a second pressure surge element first position and a second pressure surge element second position and 
 a first inlet line including a first valve and a second inlet line including a second valve, the first inlet opening being connectable to the ambient air by the first inlet line, and the second inlet opening being connectable to the ambient air by the second inlet line, and the first inlet line being closeable by the first valve and the second inlet line being closeable by the second valve. 
 
     
     
       2. The filter device as recited in  claim 1  wherein the alternating reversible movement of the first pressure surge element from the first pressure surge element first position into the first pressure surge element second position and the second pressure surge element from the second pressure surge element first position into the second pressure surge element second position is regulated by the control unit. 
     
     
       3. The filter device as recited in  claim 1  further comprising a first and a second retaining element, the first retaining element being able to hold the first pressure surge element in the first pressure surge element first position, and the second retaining element being able to hold the second pressure surge element in the second purge element first position. 
     
     
       4. The filter device as recited in  claim 3  wherein the first or second retaining element is designed in the form of a spring. 
     
     
       5. The filter device as recited in  claim 3  wherein the first or second retaining element is designed in the form of a magnet. 
     
     
       6. The filter device as recited in  claim 1  further comprising a first and a second connecting channel, the first connecting channel connecting the turbine device and the first inlet line to increase the air pressure in the second space of the first chamber with the aid of the turbine device, and the second connecting channel connecting the turbine device and the second inlet line to increase the air pressure in the second space of the second chamber with the aid of the turbine device. 
     
     
       7. The filter device as recited in  claim 1  wherein the at least one first main air flow is able to flow into the first chamber first space through the first filter element and to flow back out through the first outflow opening. 
     
     
       8. The filter device as recited in  claim 1  wherein the at least one second main air flow is able to flow into the second chamber first space through the second filter element and to flow back out through the second outflow opening. 
     
     
       9. The filter device as recited in  claim 1  wherein the first outflow opening and the first filter element are positioned in the first chamber first space in such a way that a negative pressure generatable by the at least one first main air flow moves the first pressure surge element into the first pressure surge element first position, and the at least one second outflow opening and the second filter element are positioned in the second chamber first space in such a way that a negative pressure generatable by the at least one second main air flow moves the second pressure surge element into the second pressure surge element first position. 
     
     
       10. The filter device as recited in  claim 1  wherein the first inlet opening is positioned in the second space of the first chamber in such a way that atmospheric pressure acting on the first chamber second space through the first inlet opening moves the first pressure surge element into the first pressure surge element second position, whereby a pulse is transmitted from the first pressure surge element to the first filter element to instantaneously clean the first filter element, and the second inlet opening is positioned in the second chamber second space in such a way that the atmospheric pressure acting on the second chamber second space through the second inlet opening moves the second pressure surge element into the second position, whereby a further pulse is transmitted from the second pressure surge element to the second filter element to instantaneously clean the second filter element, the atmospheric pressure being created by air from surroundings of the vacuum cleaner. 
     
     
       11. The filter device as recited in  claim 1  wherein the first pressure surge element and the second pressure surge element alternately are reversibly movable from the first into the second position to alternately clean the first and second filter elements.